Motoyama Sadasuke

Motoyama Sadasuke (1145-1181) was a peasant leader from Ugo Province who led an uprising against the Kubota Fujiwara Governor of Ugo Fujiwara Motofusa in autumn 1180. His rebellion was the result of continued food shortages and other internal problems.

Bioraphy
Sadasuke was born in Ugo Province to a high-class family that was subordinate to the fading Fujiwara clans, and came to own a large parcel of land in Ugo and several peasants. As a landowner he had to worry about the problems that his workers faced, and when food shortages occurred in 1180 and the Kubota Fujiwara governor Fujiwara Motofusa failed to react, Sadasuke led 8,700 rebels in revolt. Fujiwara Tadataka and 11,100 Fujiwara troops fought him near Kubota and defeated him, and he escaped with 740 men after inflicting 8/10 losses on the Kubota Fujiwara government army.

When his army was met again, he killed 810 Fujiwara, but despite inflicting heavy losses, 460 of his men were killed. With only 280 men left, Sadasuke decided to give in. He surrendered to Fujiwara Tadataka, who tried him and convicted him of treason and terrorism. Sadasuke's head was presented to Fujiwara Motofusa at a banquet to show him that the revolt had ended.